holy moly woman! your report made ME tired that sounds like a heck of a tough ride all the way around... from getting off course, to the heat, to the hills, to the shifting issue... man, talk about perseverance! good for you for sticking it out and completing it.

I'm like beta... I always ask people if they need help, but sorta secretly hope they're OK... I have stopped on 4 different centuries to change flats for people! (not to give them my pump but to actually DO IT because they didn't know how!!!) Twice was for guys which is at least sorta amusing, for me anyway. LOL

I gotta ask where in FL is it that hilly? I lived in St. Pete as a kid (near The Pier if it's still there!) and can't recall hills... that profile looks freakin brutal.